Productive Aging Shapes Economic, Health, and Social Outcomes

Abstract

The United States population is rapidly aging and becoming far more diverse than in the past, leading to concerns about the solvency of social insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare, as well as the overall well-being of older adults. While acknowledging these challenges, the concept of productive aging emphasizes the need to create opportunities through social policy that allow older adults to remain engaged in employment, volunteering, and caregiving for their own benefit and the benefit of society. This commentary focuses on summarizing research across these productive aging domains, examining their economic, health, and social outcomes to inform future research and social policy.